Stuck in the Dark
by Tivaau
Summary: Laws. Regulations. Boundaries. They're all meant to be broken. Secret Service Agent Chloe Beale is assigned to take a VIP detail who is the opposite of cooperative. (M) - sexual references, course language, adult themes.
1. No Way

A/N: It has been a while, but I am back and obsessed with Pitch Perfect. Without further ado…

* * *

"I don't want this assignment."

"You don't have a choice."

"This isn't even my area," she balked. Her tone was levelling on the razor sharp edge of uncontrolled frustration as she continued, "I'm an investigator, not some god dammed babysitter." Her seething anger failed to disguise the embarrassment she hid in her glistening blue eyes. This agent was no child care worker, and she despised how the higher powers could think that the death of her former partner could limit her _'fragile and softened state'_ to such a foolish detail.

"You've been selected by the council, there's no arguing with their decision." The Assistant Director considered her impassively. This was absolutely ridiculous. How could she be shoved down the ranks like this after working so hard to climb up such a male dominated, power thirsty ladder?

"With all due respect, _Sir,_ I'm better than this... and you know it. You've seen me work, you taught me everything I know!" She was becoming more disheartened as the minutes passed. Why are they doing this? How could he let this happen to her? "A rookie could do this-"

"The decision is non-negotiable, Beale. Squabbling won't make it change." His expression was far from warm, and she knew that no amount of contention would change his words.

Her file rested on his heavy oak desk, along with a cliché image of his wife, kids, and golden retriever. He was quite a solid man, bordering on the risk of cardiac arrest by the way his stomach was squashed against his desk. She scrutinized her file, the off-white cardboard sealing her entire working and personal past into a neat bundle of papers. They knew much about her, as they do with each of their employees. Heck, even the janitors have files. However, she understood that in her personal stack of papers, life threatening events and sorrowful times were bound for many to see. And many had seen, given the sorry looks she received when she returned to the Service after her very short leave of absence.

Chloe knew that if she didn't take this, she would be kissing her job goodbye. After all, with everyone assuming she's broken and bruised and unable to hold herself together, she needed to find a way to prove herself. She had been cleared for duty yesterday, but now had to convince the council she was in fact fit for duty.

"What do you have for me?"

He opened a stiff drawer and slipped out a case file, similar to hers, but oh so much thicker. _Great._ She flipped the cover and read the description below an image of the VIP.

She paused, "No way."

"Yes way."

"The President's daughter..." She swallowed dryly. This definitely would not be as much of a stroll in the park as she previously believed.

* * *

It wasn't a long flight to Atlanta from Washington. Chloe managed to look through the files she had from previous agents on this assignment. The detail was minimal to say the least.

 _Code name: Cobalt_  
 _Subject: Rebecca Mitchell, Beca_  
 _DOB: 15/02/1993_  
 _Residence: Atlanta, GA._  
 _Phone: (xxx) – N/A._

 _Marital Status: Single_  
 _Occupation(s): A-cappella singer, student (deferred studies at present), musical artist/producer._  
 _Business Address: NA_

 _Physical Description: WF, 5'2", 115lbs._  
 _Hair: Brown._  
 _Eyes: Grey/Blue._  
 _Distinguishing marks: 3cm scar left inner ankle._

 _Education: Barden University, Saint Mary's Private Girl's College._  
 _Medical Conditions: NA_  
 _Allergies: NA_

 _Romantic: Unverified._  
 _Summary: Standard twenty-four hour shift, rotating shift surveillance. Subject schedule unfixed, frequently unverifiable._  
 _Communication link: Through Team Commander ONLY (subject request)._

* * *

It was clear that Chloe would have to work with her assignment to get to understand her further, as the files she had in her possession barely breached the surface of what she could only imagine to be a deep and profound world that Miss Beca Mitchell lived in.

"Thank you," Chloe replied with tired eyes as she pocketed her hotel key card and advanced to the elevator. Her team was situated on the floor below her, a secure Head Quarters set up to keep a close eye on Cobalt who resided in the apartment building over the street.

"Six-oh... five! Finally," she sighed as she set her bag down to unlock the heavy, black door. Hotel rooms were her second home, and to be frank the apparent sterility and simplicity of the designs were oddly... _homely_ to her.

After settling herself into her new home for the next couple of months, Chloe stood by the floor to ceiling window, mesmerized by the glimmer of the city moving below her. Her gaze was caught by the flickering of a light switching on in the building that Miss Mitchell was occupying. There were no other residents on her floor, as per the President's request. It was that little bit of extra privacy that he gave her in an attempt to make up for the fact that she had a security detail on her at all times. Chloe watched as a silhouette entered what looked to be a bedroom. The figure undressed and headed out of sight, only to appear in the room beside the bedroom. Chloe turned her back and made her way to the bedroom. She would meet that figure in the morning.

* * *

"Commander, this is Agent Applebaum. I'm your team leader."

She balanced her phone on her shoulder as she picked up a coffee from the cafe down stairs. "Good morning Agent Applebaum."

"Same to you, ma'am. Are you still good for the nine-am briefing? The other agents and I will get you up to speed on the VIP and you can take it from there." He sounded tired, which she assumed to be a reflection on the weight of this case. The girl behind the counter mouthed the cost of the coffee to Chloe as she fished around in her pockets for her cash.

"Perfect, see you then," she replied, thanking and smiling at the barista as she handed over a bill. She pocketed her phone and headed out of the café.

"Hey, don't throw that cup away!" Chloe turned back to see the brunette motioning to her cup. She examined it, finding a number scrawled on the side with a smiley face next to it. She gave the girl a wink and spun out through the doors.

* * *

"How long have you all been on this detail?" The commander motioned to the agents gathered around the table in their HQ. There were six in total, including Agent Applebaum who was the main communications link between the team and commander. Most agents put on these types of cases were still green; fresh out of training and eager to learn, not yet exposed to the pressure and strain of the real world. She had done her research on this team, and they were all great agents. The past commander, however, was another story.

"We've all been here since the beginning, so eighteen months," spoke the lone female agent at the table.

"Eighteen months, Agent Posen? You've had eighteen months to gather intelligence on Cobalt. To learn about her movements, her frequents, her habits. Yet you guys still manage to lose her more often than not." She was greeted with silence. _Geez._ This assignment was proving to be more than a routine VIP detail.

"Agent Applebaum?" She turned her gaze to the experienced agent on the far side of the table. He nodded in return.

"Scrap everything. Remove all the files you have on Mitchell." The agents looked to her with furrowed brows. "We're starting over."

* * *

A/N: Assuming I don't lose motivation, the next chapter will be up within a week. My intention is for this to be quite lenghty, so bare with me. Gracias!


	2. Swimming

**A/N:** Yo, thanks for the faith you all have in this story! I know Chloe is portrayed as somewhat of a 'girly girl' (I hate that expression but 'tis unfortunately relevant), but I've always wanted to see bad-ass Chloe in a form-fitting suit and a hard-ass personality, kicking butt and taking names (Aubrey's, to be precise).

* * *

Agent Beale lifted her fist to knock on the charcoal door of Miss Mitchell's apartment. It was eleven-AM on the dot, exactly when they had agreed on the briefing. This was routine with every assignment, they would go over Miss Mitchell's upcoming events, agenda, personal ventures, and everyday movements. It may have seemed over the top, but Chloe was well aware of the dangers involved with being related to the President of the United States… let alone being his only daughter.

"Miss Mitchell," Agent Beale stated once the door was opened. Beca stood by the doorway in nothing but a soft, white dress robe. The skin of her shoulder peeked through as it hung loosely over her small figure. Without make up or her uptight, professional get-up, Beca was almost unrecognisable. She looked like a normal young woman who was far from trapped by the reigns of her father's career. This was the main reason as to why, when agents were searching for her, she was unattainable. They were looking for the President's daughter, a well presented, strictly mannered lady. Not Beca Mitchell, the alternative, free spirited woman who wanted nothing more than to be free of details and a constant eye on her at all times.

"It's Beca. Please Commander, come in." She stepped aside, a smirk playing on her features as Chloe brushed past her, their shoulders grazing. Chloe was well aware of Beca's motives. She had done her research before they had deleted the files that morning. She saw that she was conscious of her health and fitness, regularly attending a health club a few blocks down from her residence. She was artistic and passionate, paintings and records displayed throughout her living space. She was a professional music producer with an unfinished college degree at Barden University. This was common knowledge, easily accessible on her Wikipedia page.

However, one aspect that had failed to be mentioned on her public record was her frequent attendance at gay bars and clubs. It was something that Chloe could relate to. No matter how open people claim to be, they will always find reasons or ways to discriminate. Agent Beale's sexuality was something she did not discuss with her work colleagues, however everyone seemed to know about it. Bringing it up meant dealing with superficial men who wanted to 'watch', or shallow superiors who didn't want anything to do with her. The older generation of agents were definitely tougher to handle, but she could barely compare that to the uproar that would ensue pending the discovery of Miss Mitchell's sexuality. In her brief interview with the President, he made it clear to Agent Beale that his daughter's sexuality was no issue to him. However, disclosure of that information would surely do damage to his reputation, which he was obviously more interested in.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Beca questioned as she shut the door behind them. Chloe stood in the centre of the living space, admiring the painting on the brick feature wall.

"A water would be great, thank you," she smiled as she turned back to Beca who was retrieving a water from her fridge. "I won't be too long, Beca. I need to know your plans for the holidays, any appearances you have to make, and a general overview of each day." She remained standing as Beca took a seat on a stool at the granite bench by the kitchen, a steaming coffee in hand and a chilled water in the other.

"All business I see," she grinned. Beca was usually able to crack the agents assigned to her, however the commander seemed well in control of her cues. At least, after she caught herself glimpsing at Beca's chest through the barely closed front of her robe.

"I just want to stay out of your hair as much as possible." Chloe looked sincerely over to Beca, who had _yeah right_ written all over her face. She could see from her attitude that the past commander had a do-as-I-say approach to this detail, which obviously meant, given Beca's personality, she would do the absolute opposite to his requests. Chloe wasn't here to run Beca's life. She was here to make sure she was living her life, and wanted to keep everything going as smooth as possible.

"I get that you can't live a normal life Beca, but I would like to make everything as normal as possible," she moved toward the kitchen, resting her hip on the bench Beca was sitting by. She continued, "In order to do so, I need to know where you are going. I don't care what you are doing, as long as we can determine exit strategies and keep you safe."

Beca looked to her and saw nothing but truthfulness. "Okay," she agreed.

Maybe the commander wasn't going to be like the others.

* * *

Swimming was one of the few things that took Chloe away from the intensity of her work. It was her getaway that nobody knew about. Gliding through the water, feeling the chill of the smooth liquid slide over her body, it was incredibly relaxing and calming for the young agent.

Especially today, given that it had been one of her most mentally taxing days to say the least. She had been on her phone half of the time chasing up past agents that had been assigned on this detail, trying to gather any intelligence that she could use in her favour. She was doing her best to form a new and more structured method of surveillance. She was shocked at how inefficiently this detail had been managed previously, and how poorly Beca had been treated by the agents.

She inhaled and dipped her head below the icy blue water, numbing the blur of thoughts within her mind.

* * *

"Where the fuck is she, Posen?" Her tone was anything but cheerful. Beca had informed them that she would be going to the gym that afternoon, to which Chloe assigned Agent Posen the head of the surveillance team. Boy, was she regretting that.

"I don't know, Commander. We had eyes on her as she entered the change room, and after ten minutes of waiting I went in to check but she was gone." Aubrey was the most experienced of the team, after Agent Applebaum of course. Chloe had faith in her ability to keep track of the target, which obviously left her disappointed at the news she was hearing.

"So she just magically vanished?" The commander finished adjusting her simple black suit and grabbed her keys, heading for her car. Her patience was running thin.

"I'm sorry, I thought I had it covered. She obviously-"

"Don't apologise, just fix it." Chloe ended the call and pulled out of the car park. She was willing to bet her savings that Beca had left through the emergency exit in the change room, and was almost certain she knew where she'd be.

* * *

"The middle of the afternoon is a weird time to have a shower, Agent Beale," Beca stated as she tied her hair in a bun, obviously spotting the dampness of Chloe's hair as she appeared behind her.

"This is a weird looking health club, Miss Mitchell," Chloe countered as she held Beca's gaze in the mirror. After speaking with Agent Posen, she had made a B-line for the rear exit of the health club Beca was supposed to be utilising. She stood on the sidewalk, looking around for a moment until a poorly maintained building caught her eye.

"Pottery is my thinking place. Or, more accurately, my non-thinking place. I come here to clear my mind. The past agents have never been able to find me." Chloe watched the corners of Beca's mouth turn up, as if she was a little kid revealing her secret hide-away to her best friend.

Chloe took a step closer.

"Why didn't you just tell us?" If this was going to work, there had to be cooperation on both sides. Chloe could only give so much to Beca. If she kept this up, she the commander had no choice but to become strict and unfair, much like Beca had been previously exposed to and thoroughly disliked.

"It's not the same when they know where you are." Beca spun to face her. Recognising the lack of space between them, Chloe would have stepped back. But something intrigued her. She examined the softness and vulnerability of Beca's features. She was opening up, something Chloe hardly would have predicted given the closed off ways Beca portrayed herself.

They stood in silence for a moment.

"I went swimming."

Chloe let the door slam shut as she left the room. She couldn't tell what it was that she felt, but for something so wrong it felt eerily right.


End file.
